Combined sequential and selective data display

ABSTRACT

A display system comprising a series of sequential characters in which each sequential character is initially displayed in conjunction with a random character. This sequential character and this random character moves to a second display position when a new sequential character with a new random character is to be displayed. This moving or progression of the first and second sequential character and their random characters to the next display positions will continue to successive positions when a new sequential and random characters are introduced until the combination of characters progress off the display. The number of times that the sequential and random characters appear on the display is limited by the size of the display.

United States Patent n91 Pfleger et a1.

[ COMBINED SEQUENTIAL AND SELECTIVE DATA DISPLAY [76] Inventors: Frederick W. Pfleger, 1152 Barbara Dr.; John Billis, l4 Galway Ln., both of Cherry Hill, NJ.

[22] Filed: July 29, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 167,107

[52] US. Cl. 340/325, 340/379 [51] Int. Cl. G09! 11/02 [58] Field of Search 340/324 R, 325 B,

340/325 S, 378 MW; 178/28, 32, 34, 35, 38

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,206,722 9/1965 Gustus 340/324 R 1,781,793 11/1930 Spencer 173/28 2,502,491 4/1950 Thompson 178/38 2,885,475 5/1959 Canepa 178/34 3,205,305 9/1965 Clark eta1.. 178/38 3,266,019 8/1966 Beckwith 340/324 S gas [ Aug. 21, 1 973 3,267,456 8/1966 Morris et a1 340/324 B Primary Examiner-John W. Caldwell Assistant Examiner-Marshall M. Curtis 5 7] ABSTRACT A display system comprising a series of sequential characters in which each sequential character is initially displayed in conjunction with a random character. This sequential character and this random character moves to a second display position when a new sequential character with a new random character is to be displayed; This moving or progression of the first and second sequential character and their random characters to the next display positions will continue to successive positions when a new sequential and random characters are introduced until the combination of characters progress off the display. The number of times that the sequential and random characters appear on the display is limited by the size of the display.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures COMBINED SEQUENTIAL AND SELECTIVE DATA DISPLAY BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This disclosure relates to a display mechanism which is capable of displaying a group of sequential characters in such a manner that a random character which isvdisplayed with the sequential character when it is first exposed on the display board stays with the sequential character for all positions in the group to which the sequential character progresses.

In many everyday functions many people are serviced by a plurality of service people, from a plurality of servicing stations. This type of service occurs in banks and Savings & Loan Associations in which a plurality of tellers, each having their own teller window, serve people who normally stand in a serial line in front of these teller windows. This same type of service occurs at ticket reservation counters such as railroad, bus and airline reservation counters in-which a plurality of clerks using their own counter, service large numbers of people that normally stand in lines for each counter. This same type of servicing also occurs in what is commonly called the super market check-out or department store check-out stations. In these cases a plurality of check-out clerks each working at their own station, handles the people who normally line up at their particular station.

In servicing in service areas of the type described above, it is a very common problem in which one service person may be servicing a line of people while other clerks are standing idle. This particular problem occurs when the clerks are spread out over a large area. Another problem in this type of servicing occurs when a customer to be serviced approaches and stands on what apparently is the shortest line, in terms of the number of people, but turns out to be the longest in terms of time. Many circumstances, such as an excessive number of transactions, a questionable item to be serviced, or a slower service person cause this problem. This type of problem lends itself to dissatisfaction and discontent on the part of the customer and sometimes the loss of the customer.

This particular disclosure relates to a display board system which can be utilized in these servicing operations in which the people are serviced indirect serial relationship with the sequential arrival of the customer at the servicing area.

PRIOR ART Several attempts to eliminate these problems are known to exist, but they all have one or more of the following limitations.

Single station display boards are in common use in areas where the people to be serviced are all serviced from a common area, resulting in the requirement that the next persons number to be serviced is displayed by the next clerk that is free in this common service area. It is obvious that this type of display system is not applicable to the situation in which many service counters are required since a person on seeing only his number would not know to which of the many service counters that he should go to to go to.

Another system for attempting to overcome the problem is to form one long line of people in serial fashion as they approach the service counter. These people are released one at a time through a single exit and are directed at that time to the service counter that is free to service him. This system has the obvious disadvantages of time wasted between the observing that a service counter is free and the dispatching of the next person to that particular service counter. It also has the disadvantage that people still must stand in a line wich is much longer than individual lines at individual service counters. It also does not lend itself to providing more comfortable facilities in which customers could spend their time waiting or in the case of supermarket and department store check-out it does not enable, not enabling the customers to further'shop while waiting and to possibly find other items which they would buy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As a result, it is an object of this invention to provide a display system which will enable fairness to customers in servicing operations in which a plurality of customers are serviced by one of a plurality of service personnel, at a plurality of service positions.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a display mechanism in which a series of display characters, each associated with a customer, are kept on display with the associated service counter identification so that the display is not removed before the customer sees his assigned service station.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a display mechanism with large characters such that the customers assigned identification and the service counter identification is capable of being read from considerable distance.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a display system which is simple in construction and in principals of operation such that the display system will be trouble free and relatively inexpensive and still provide for the customers knowing that he will be serviced fairly.

These and other advantages will become apparent when read in light of the appending claims, description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front view of this display panel showing a series of four successive sequential characters and four related random characters.

FIG. 2 is a timing diagram of the display control.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the electrical control of the display.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the display panel with the cover removed showing the display indicators and the front view of the controls for these displays, conditioned to start an actuation.

FIG. 5 is a plane view of one of the control blocks of the random display, the view taken basically along line AA of FIG. 4.

w FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken through two successive random character wheels and the control block for these two wheels as indicated by sectional cut line BB of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIG. I, the display panel of this mechanism is divided into two zones. A first zone 101, as shown on the left of the display panel of FIG. 1, comprises a plurality of sequential display characters 102. As shown in FIG. I, the display characters are shown as two digit numbers, namely 31, 32, 33, 34, but

it is obvious that these sequential characters can be a single character, two characters, three characters, etc., depending on the requirements of the system. It also should be noticed in FIG. 1 that four sequential characters 102 are displayed in zone 101. As will be described later, the number of sequential characters displayed can be any number depending on the size of the display and the system requirements. On the right side of the panel 100 is a zone 110 which has four characters 11 1, each character related to one of the four sequential characters 102. In this particular illustration, character 1 relates to serial number 31, 7 relates to serial number 32, 4 relates to serial number 33 and 3 relates to serial number 34. i

In the use of this panel, the characters as shown in panel 100 would remain in this condition until the next sequential character is to be entered onto the display panel. In this particular illustration, the next number would be 35 and will be displayed in the position where the number 34 is located. The random character corresponding to the sequential number 3Swould appear in the position where the number 3 now appears in zone 110. The sequential number 34 and the random number 3 will be shifted to the position where the serial number 33 and the random number 4 are shown. The serial number 33 and the random number 4 will be shifted to the position where the serial number 32 and the random number 7 are shown. The serial number 32 and the random number 7 will be shifted to the position where the serial number 31 and the random number I are shown. The serial number 31 and the random numbet 1 will be removed from the display. As a result, it can be seen that if it is required to keep the last character on display for a greater number of sequential character inputs, then the display panel can be enlarged for more display positions. From the above it can be seen that when a random character is assigned to a specific serial character, this random character will be associated with this specific serial character as long as this particular serial character is on the display panel. On subsequent displays of a specific serial character, any new random character can appear with the serial character. As a result, for each initial display of a serial character, any random character can be displayed with the serial character for that particular display.

As shown in FIG. 4, the displayed character 102 of zone 101 are shown as markings on display drums 201, 201', 202, 202', 203, 203, 204 and 204'. These drums 201, through 204 and 201 through 204 have markings on them for all characters such as numbers through 9. Since markings on drums oi this type is well known in the art, these additional characters have not been shown in order to retain clarity of the drawings.

In essence, these drums 201, 201', 202, 202, etc. can be considered as the drums of a two-stage counter, that is, an input to drums 201, 202', 203 or 204' will advance the drum from 0 to a 1, another input from a 1 to a 2, etc. until the th input again advances the unit order drum from a 9 to a 0. This last advancement from 9 to 0 in counter terminology is called a tens transfer advancement in that the tens order drums 201, 202, 203 and 204 have to advance from a 9 to 0. Since many types of tens carry advance systems are known in the art, and include such items as Geneva drive transfer, single tooth advance transfer, etc. only a simplified single tooth advance system is shown in this disclosure. This single tooth tens carry system comprises a single tation of wheels 201', 202', 203 or 204' in going from 9 to 0 resulting in drums 201, 202, 203 and 204 advancing one number.

In order to advance all of the drums 201', 202', 203' and 204' one character when the next succeeding character is to be displayed, all the drums 201', 202', 203 and 204' are provided with an input gear 207, which has a gearing ratio with input pinions 208 such that one revolution of the pinion 208 advances its related drum 201', 202, 203' or 204' one character. In this particular disclosure this ratio is 1:10 since all of the drums are ten position drums. The input pinions 208 are fastened securely to a common shaft 209. Also secured to shaft 209 is a gear 238 which meshes with the output gear 233 of a single revolution motor or a single revolution clutch 211. On activation of the display panel, the single revolution clutch 211 makes a single revolution which will advance the pinions 208 one revolution. Since single revolution clutches and single revolution motor drives are well known in the art, no further description of these elements will be given.

In order to operate the display board, the operator depresses one of the ten switches 301 FIG. 3, which are connected to coils 320 of solenoids 220 FIGS. 3, 4. The solenoids 220 as shown in this disclosure are push type solenoids and each has an output pin 401 as shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a plurality of solenoids can be used if positioned around the center shaft. The output pin 401 FIG. 4, is shown in the position it takes when its related solenoid is energized, whereas an output pin 401' is shown in its normal position when the solenoids are deenergized and the pin reset. When the solenoid is energized, solenoid pin 401 moves a stop pin 602, FIG. 4 and 6, mounted in a fixed bearing 606 from its normal inactive position to an active position. The stop pins 602 and 602' are held in the set or nonset position by an annular spring 603 which is captive in the fixed bearing 606 and which engages one of the two grooves in the stop pins 602 and 602'. As a result, a signal to a solenoid 220 moves its pin 401 into the position shown in FIG. 4 which moves the stop pin 602 from the position in which the upper grove retains the pin 602 to the position where the lower grove retains the pin. Also associated with the lower end of stop pin 602 for the first random character is the extended leaf 402 of a normally open switch 403. The switch 403 and solenoids 220 are mounted to a subplate 404 beneath this first random character drum. When the stop pin 602 is moved into its raised position, FIG. 4, the switch leaf 402 moves upward into its normally closed position such that power to the switch 403 is permitted to operate the control mechanism shown as block 330 FIG. 3 of the single cycle clutch on motor 211 FIG. 4. As a result, the display will be responsive to slow activation, rapid activation or simultaneous activation of the control switches 301, since all of the solenoids 220 can receive their commands in this manner and all the switches 403 and stop pins 602 can be activated in this manner. As will be described later, the resetting of the stop pins 602 and the switch 403 is under the control of the single cycle mechanism and only will occur after the character related to the switch has been registered on the display board. As a result, only a momentary switch closure at any time is all that is required by the operator to initiate the cycle for displaying a new number. It is obvious that the solenoid output pin 401 and stop pin 602 could be made as one piece thus providing what is commonly called a latching solenoid without changing the effective operation.

When the stop pin 602 moves into its upper position, a projection 605 on the upper surface of pin 602 is moved from its normal position into a position which will interfere with the movement of a rod 226 securely mounted to the drum 221. Rod 226 extends beyond the upper and lower surface of the drum 221 a distance such that if none of the stop pins 602 are raised, the lower end of the rod 226 will rotate clear of the projections 605 of the stop pins 602. The upper end of rod 226 always rotates clear of the lower surface of the stop pins 602 related to the next succeeding drum, in this instance drum 222 of FIG. 6. The drums 221, 222, 223 and 224 are joumaled to the shaft 227 by means of a lower bearing support 610 secured to shaft 227 and an upper friction driven bearing mount 613. A friction drive disc 611 is set-screwed or pinned to the shaft 227 in such a manner that a friction material disc 612 lies between the fricton drive disc 611 and the friction driven bearing support 613 of the respective drums. A spring 614 is mounted between the lower bearing support 610 and the upper friction driven bearing mount 613 in such a manner that the spring force is the normal force between the friction drive disc 611 and the friction bearing mount 613. The force of spring 614 is sufficient to provide the normal force for the friction drive to rotate the respective drums 221, 222, 223 and 224 with shaft 227, if nothing impedes the drums rotation. The spring force also is light enough so that the friction drive will slip if an interference to rotation of the drum 221, 222, 223 and 224 occurs. As a result, it can be seen that operation of a switch 301 will energize a solenoid 220, which will position a stop pin 602 in such a manner that a single rotation of shaft 227 will rotate a drum to the position in which the lower end of rod 226 comes into interference engagement with the projection 605 of stop pin 602 thus positioning in the display window the character represented by the particular switch 301 that was operated. For the balance of the revolution of the shaft 227 slippage between the friction drive disc 611 and the friction driven bearing support 613 occurs. As a result, any single revolution drive source for shaft 227 is all that is required to drive the mechanism to change the display from anyone character to any other character. This mechanism therefore provides a display system which does not require a clearing to zero cycle prior to showing a new display and it provides this new display with a single revolution of the drive shaft 227.

As was previously described, solenoids 220 work with stop pins 602 for controlling the first display position, in this case, display wheel 221. Mounted to each support plate 225, associated with each succeeding display drum, is another group of stop pins 602 mounted in their bearings 606. As a result, each drum 221, 222, 223 and 224, FIG. 4, has its own group of stop pins 602 such that anyone of the related stop pins can act as a stopping member to position the drum during revolution of the shaft 227. The stop pins 602 of the drums 222, 223 and 224 are controlled by the rod 226 of the drum of the proceeding display drum. As shown in FIG. 6, the rod 226 of drum 221 will control the stop pins 602 of the drum 222 and the rod 226 of drum 222 will control the setting of the stop pins 602 related to drum 223. The rod 226 of drum 222 is shown in interference engagement with a stop pin 602. The lower ends of rod 226 are contoured to engage the projection 605 of the stop pins and still have the maximum diameter of the pin smaller than the diameter of the stop pins so that it can reset the stop pin as will be described.

In order to transfer this setting of the stop pins 602 which were set either by the solenoid 220 or by the system to be described, from one display position to the next display position, the entire shaft 227 besides being provided with a rotary motion, is provided with an axial movement during a period of time that shaft 227 is not being rotated. As shown in the timing diagram FIG. 2, the single cycle drive 211 provides 360 of rotation to the serial display drive shaft 209 through gearing 233-238 and provides 360 of rotation to the shaft 227 during 270 of rotation of single cycle drive 21 1. No rotation is provided to shaft 227 during the angular movement between 270 and 360 of the shaft of the single cycle drive 211. This is accomplished by providing gear 231 fastened to the output shaft of the single cycle drive 21 1 with the equivalent number of teeth on threefourths of its periphery as is on the full periphery of gear 232 fastened to shaft 227. As aresult, of the periphery of gear 231 does not have drive teeth which would be capable of driving the gear 232. During this 90 of rotation a cam 234, secured to the output shaft of the single cycle drive 211, is in caming engagement with a roller 254 mounted to the end of bell crank 250 pivoted to a frame bracket 251. Bell crank 250 is held in engagement with cam 234 by a spring 252. A second roller 253, mounted on the bell crank 250, engages a hub 235 mounted on shaft 227. This cam thus provides for the axial movement of this shaft 227. As shown in the timing diagram FIG. 2, the cam is made so that between 270 and 300 of rotation of the output shaft of the single cycle drive 211, the shaft 227 is moved in an upward direction as would apply to FIG. 6. The drums 221 and 222 are shown stopped in a specific position with the rods 226 lying directly below the stop pins 602 of the next progressive position. When the shaft 227 is moved in the upward direction, the set rods 226 engage the lower end of the next set of stop pins 602 and move the related stop pin a distance sufficient to move the stop pin from its lower noninterfering position to its upper interfering position. Thus as shown in FIG. 6, rod 226 of drum 221 will move stop pin 602 directly above the rod to its upper position, and the rod 226 of drum 222 would move the stop pin 602 (not shown) of the next succeeding position into its upper position. As shown in FIG. 2 on completion of this upward movement, the shaft 227 is moved a distance below its normal position and sufficient to reset the stop pin 602, which stopped the respective drum during the just completed cycle. This depressed position therefore repositions the set stop pin so that it is capable of being reset on future signals from the switches 301. On completion of this resetting motion, the cam 234 returns the shaft 227 to its normal position. In certain applications in which an excess amount of vibration can occur thus possibly moving the display drum, the normal stop position could be in the depressed position. In this case, the

rods 226 would act as latches preventing the drums from moving since in this depressed condition the rod could be shaped to be captive between the stop pin projection 605 and the stop pin bearing wall 606. In this mode of operation the first motion that the cam 234 will impart to the shaft 227 after receipt of a signal from a switch 301 will be the upper movement to the neutral position, which will release this latching of the drums. This will then be followed by the rotation of the drums which in the normal operation of the system is the first movement following the receipt of a signal from a switch 301.

From the above description and drawings, it can be seen that a programmed display mechanism has been fully described which provides for a multiple display of sequential characters and a multiple display of random characters associated with the sequential characters. It is to be understood that although the above descriptions describe these elements and types of displays as a system, it is to be understood that the random or serial displays could be used separately and that it is not necessary for the combination or individual unit to be used as groupings. Although this invention has been described in detail by way of drawings and descriptions, it is to be understood that certain changes and modifications can be made within the objective of the invention, the spirit of the invention, and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

' 1. In a character display responsive to random data comprising a plurality of signals each signal being of a specific character, the combination comprising a plurality of signal storage receiver means having a set and reset condition, each of said signal storage receiver means being responsive to one of said signals, resetting means for resetting said signal storage receiver means to said reset condition, an actuator responsive to said signal storage receiver means, a multiple character indicator changeable by said actuator to a condition controlled by said signal storage receivers to indicate the specific character of the signal, and a plurality of multiple character indicators in series and setting means for each of said series of multiple character indicators for setting the signal storage receiver of the following multiple character indicator corresponding to the set signal storage receiver of the previous multiple character indicator.

2. In a character display responsive to random data comprising a plurality of signals each signal being of a specific character, the combination comprising a plu rality of signal storage receiver means having a set and reset condition, each of said signal storage receiver means being responsive to one of said signals, resetting means for resetting said signal storage receiver means to said reset condition, an actuator responsive to said signal storage receiver means, a multiple character indicator changeable by said actuator to a condition controlled by said signal storage receivers to indicate the specific character of the signal, and an additional character display means for displaying a sequence of characters responsive to each of said signals to advance said sequential character display means on receipt of a signal.

3. In a character display according to claim 1 including a plurality of additional character display means for displaying a sequence of characters each associated with one of said multiple character indicators and each responsive to each of said signals to advance said sequential character display on receipt of a signal.

4. In a character display responsive to random data comprising a plurality of signals each signal being of a specific character, the combination comprising a plurality of variable indicators in series successively re sponsive to a signal, a plurality of sequential data indicators responsive to said signal, variable data indicator control means for each of said variable data indicators, and drive means responsive to the presence of each of said signals to advance all of said sequential data indicators and responsive to the first of said variable data indicator control means to change the first of said series of variable data indicators to a character whereby each of the succeeding variable data indicators of said series of variable data indicators is changed to the character controlled by each respective variable data indicator control means.

5. In a character display according to claim 4 said variable data indicator control means having a normal condition and a set condition, setting means and resetting means for setting and resetting to normal each of said variable data indicators control means.

6. In a character display according to claim 5, the setting means for the first of said variable data indicator control means including a solenoid corresponding to each of said plurality of signals and operable upon receipt of its corresponding signal.

7. In a character display according to claim 6, the setting means for each of other variable data indicator control means and the resetting means for each of said variable data indicator control means being controlled by said drive means.

l I i 

1. In a character display responsive to random data comprising a plurality of signals each signal being of a specific character, the combination comprising a plurality of signal storage receiver means having a set and reset condition, each of said signal storage receiver means being responsive to one of said signals, resetting means for resetting said signal storage receiver means to said reset condition, an actuator responsive to said signal storage receiver means, a multiple character indicator changeable by said actuator to a condition controlled by said signal storage receivers to indicate the specific character of the signal, and a plurality of multiple character indicators in series and setting means for each of said series of multiple character indicators for setting the signal storage receiver of the following multiple character indicator corresponding to the set signal storage receiver of the previous multiple character indicator.
 2. In a character display responsive to random data comprising a plurality of signals each signal being of a specific character, the combination comprising a plurality of signal storage receiver means having a set and reset condition, each of said signal storage receiver means being responsive to one of said signals, resetting means for resetting said signal storage receiver means to said reset condition, an actuator responsive to said signal storage receiver means, a multiple character indicator changeable by said actuator to a condition controlled by said signal storage receivers to indicate the specific character of the signal, and an additional character display means for displaying a sequence of characters responsive to each of said signals to advance said sequential character display means on receipt of a signal.
 3. In a character display according to claim 1 including a plurality of additional character display means for displaying a sequence of characters each associated with one of said multiple character indicators and each responsive to each of said signals to advance said sequential character display on receipt of a signal.
 4. In a character display responsive to random data comprising a plurality of signals each signal being of a specific character, the combination comprising a plurality of variable indicators in series successively responsive to a signal, a plurality of sequential data indicators responsive to said signal, variable data indicator control means for each of said variable data indicators, and drive means responsive to the presence of each of said signals to advance all of said sequential data indicators and responsive to the first of said variable data indicator control means to change the first of said series of variable data indicators to a character whereby each of the succeeding variable data indicators of said series of variable data indicators is changed to the character controlled by each respective variable data indicator control means.
 5. In a character display according to claim 4 said variable data indicator control means having a normal condition and a set condition, setting means and resetting means for setting and resetting to normal each of said variable data indicators control means.
 6. In a character display according to claim 5, the setting means for the first of said variable data indicator control means including a solenoid corresponding to each of said plurality of signals and operable upon receipt of its corresponding signal.
 7. In a character display according to claim 6, the setting means for each of other variable data indicator control means and the resetting means for each of said variable data indicator control means being controlled by said drive means. 